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(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. PRICE, Jr. DREDGING APPARATUS.

No. 500,818. Patented July 4, 1893.

WITNESSES INVENTOR,

I y ng/j (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. PRICE, Jr. DRBDGING APPARATUS.

No. 500,818. Patented Jui y 4, 1893.

x A O WITNESSES; INVENTOR ATTORNEY.

(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 3.

DRE'DGING APPARATUS.

No. 500,818. Patented July 4, 1893.

M T/VEsSES.

7 Sheets Sheet 4.

(NO Model.)

J. PRICE, Jr. DREDGING APPARATUS.

No 5 00, 18 Patented July 4, 1893.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

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W2 flaw/W (Nb Model!) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5. J. PRICE, Jr.

- DREDGING APPARATUS. No. 500,818. Patented July 4, 1893.

WITNESSES; 11V VENTOR BY .{@w

ATTORNEY.

A (No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 6.

J. PRICE, Jr. DREDGING APPARATUS,

Patented July 4, 1893.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY.

7 Sheets-Sheet 7.

(No Model.)

J. PRICE, Jr. DREDGING APPARATUS.

Patented July 4, 1893.

FrqlX 1 HII I (1H0 IN I 1H \I H M 4 m A I p P INVEIYTORI WITNESSES a/M/uh BY W ./V. '(Ww4 z:

ATTORNEY,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES PRICE, JR, OF SAN FRUGTUOSO, URUGUAY.

DREDGING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 500,818, dated July 4, 1893.

Application filed April 15, 1391. Serial No.389;'105- (to model.) Patented in EnglandJnne 16, 1888. 8,

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JAMEs PRICE, Jr., of Sa Fructuoso, .Iacuerembo, Uruguay, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and lately a resident of Dublin, in the county of Dublin, Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dredging Apparatus, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 8,756, dated June 15, 1888,) of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification thereof.

This invention relates to dredging apparatus, and it has for its object the operation of the same by means of one chain.

Referring to the drawings, Figure I. is a transverse sectional elevation, showing the bucket closed. Fig. II. is a transverse sectional elevation, showing the bucket opened. Fig. III. is a transverse sectional elevation, showing the apparatus constructed as a digger and closed. Fig. IV. is an enlarged plan sectional view, on line m,0c,Fig. I. Fig. V. is a sectional elevation of myimpro ved dredging apparatus, showing the dredger suspended, preparatory to being emptied or opened as shown in Fig. I. Fig. VI. is a detached side view of the fulcrum block, with the hook arms attached. Fig. VII. is a plan or top view of the fulcrum block. Fig. VIII. is an enlarged detached sectional view of the headpiece and sleeve showing the trigger inserted in a link of the chain. Fig. IX. is asectional elevation partly in section showing the dredger in the act of being dropped upon the material to be raised-the trigger being in position to be thrown or knocked out of its locked position upon the chain as shown in Fig. VIII. Fig. X. is a sectional view on line m m Fig.1X.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Letters B, B, represent the bucket halves made of steel plate or wrought iron. These bucket halves are pivoted together at b, b, permitting them to open and close. These bucket halves are opened and closed by means of the bow levers D, D. The bucket B, is securely fastened to the pins, and bucket B, is allowed to freely turn on the same. To bucket B, is attached the bow arm D, and to the pins 11,19, is securely fastened the bow arm D. By this arrangement the bucket halves are easily opened and closed by the movementof the said bow arms. To these bow arms, at e, e, are secured the brackets f, f, serving as bearings for the axles of the pulleys F, F.

G, is the head piece made round and provided with lateral opening. The top of this head piece is provided with a circular flange g, and the lower end is made flaring, to which is attached the guide pulley I.

II, is a sleeve surrounding the head-piece G, and provided with a broad flange It. To

" this head-piece is pivoted the rods S, connecting the said bucket halves to the said head-piece.

J, is a trigger pivoted to the head piece G. This trigger is constructed and pivoted on the head piece in such a manner that the outer arm is heavier and longer than the inner arm, and this is done to automatically throw the said trigger in place to act upon the chain as hereinafter set forth.

J is the fulcrum block suspended by chains K, K, K, K, which are connected to a chain L, secured to the crane head, not shown. From the block J", are hung four'hook arms M, M, M, M, (see Figs. V, VI, and VII) which are constructed with curved lower ends m, and acute angle projections it, formed on the inside of the arms M. These arms are likewise provided with rests or hooks 0, for supporting the flange h, of the sleeve II. This block is provided with a hole through which passes the flanged tube N; the said flange supporting the said tube on the block, as shown. This tube is likewise provided with a disk 0, which may be securely fastened to the tube or made adjustable on the same in order to change the position when required.

P, is the lifting chain, secured to the flanged lower end'of the head piece at 9 From this pointthe said chain passes downward around and under the pulleys F, and F, thence upward against pulley I, and through head. piece and tube N, and over sheave R, on the crane arm of the drum of the hoister.

Operation: Fig. I, shows the grab or dredging apparatus closed and in the act of raising a load which is performed by the lifting chain 1. As the grab or apparatus rises, the top of the head piece G,'strikes the bottom of the tube N, and raises the same on the block J and likewise .changes the position of the disk 0, which, as heretofore stated, is secured to will jar the sleeve H, down into the position the said tube N. The lifting of the tube, and consequently the changing of the position of the disk, releases the hooks M, and permit them to fall inwardsee Fig. II-and under the flange h, of the sleeve H.

In order to prevent the hooks falling inward before the flange it, passes the hooking point 0. I provide each hook with the outwardly curved arms m, as before stated. Should the hooks M, now fall inward, before the flange h, passes the hook portion 0, the said flange it, will strike the curve arms m, and force the said hooks apart again until the said flange has passed the hooking point 0. These hooks now support the loaded bucket (see Fig. V) and when the lifting chain P, is slackened, the weight of the said bucket will draw the head piece G, down until the flange thereof rests upon the flange of the sleeve H. The continued slackening of the lifting chain P, will release the bow levers D, D, and allow the bucket halves to open and discharge the load. After the bucket has been emptied the chain P, is tightened.

In dragging the chain upward, the trigger J, will be caught in one of the links (see Fig. VIII). This is done automatically because of the position of the trigger, which extends some distance within the head piece G, (see Fig. VIII). This chain is now prevented from closing the bucket. The pointed end of the trigger is prevented from being carried upward by the chain and thus rendered inoperative, by a stopj formed by the lower end of the sleeve H.

To release the bucket from its suspended position on the hook arms M, draw the chain P, upward. As this chain is already engaged by the trigger the upward strain thereof is exerted upon the said trigger, against the sleeve H, and head piece G, raising the same withit and the open bucket halves. The upward movement of the head piece G, and sleeve H, causes the flange h, of the latter to spread apart the arms M, by traveling the inclined surface a. When the flange h, has spread the hooked arms sufficiently apart, the tube N, with disk 0, will drop in place as shown in Fig. I. The arms are now held apart far enough to allow the flange h, to pass the hooked end of the arms M, (see Fi IX.) The open bucket is now allowed to fall upon any selected place and of its own accord (see Fig. IX)the chain P, being slackened to permit this. The shock caused by the fall shown in Fig. I, and this position automatically unlocks the trigger J, and holds it away from the chain. The chain P, is now free to close the bucket halves, and perform the same cycle of operations described heretofore.

All the parts herei-nbefore described can be madeof wrought iron or slate or both as use may suggest.

Having now particularly described and as-v certained the nature of my said invention forth.

2. In a dredging apparatus 'the sleeve H, with flange h, placed around the head piece G, in combination with the hooks M, pivoted to the block J and having curved downward extensions, and projections to support said flange substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a dredging apparatus, the tube N, with disk 0, in combination with the hooks M, having acute angled projections and curved terminals and head piece G, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a dredging apparatus the head piece G, the surrounding sleeve H, the buckets and the rods connecting the buckets with the head piece in combination with the tube N, and hooks M substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a dredging apparatus, mechanism .for automatically gripping and releasing the sleeve H, consisting of the hooks M, M, pivoted to block J, the disk 0, on tube N, and the-head piehe G, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a dredging machine and in combination with the head piece G, and trigger J, the sleeve H, with flange h, surrounding the said head piece, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In a dredging machine, the trigger J, pivoted to the head piece G, in combination with the lifting chain P, and sleeve H, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a dredging apparatus the combination of the following parts:a bucket B, constructed in quarter spheres C, C, hinged together at c, and provided with bow levers D, D, having pulleys F, F, and joined to head piece G, by rods S; a head piece G, with pulley I; a sleeve H, with flange h, sliding over head piece G; block J suspended by chains K, K; a tube N, sliding in central opening of block .1, and provided with disk 0; the hooks M, hinged to the block J and constructed with curved ends or wings m, and inwardly inclined parts m a trigger J, pivoted to head piece G; and a lifting chain P, connected to g, to the head piece G, passing around the pulleys F, F, against pulley I, up through hole of the head piece G, and the tube N, over sheave R, all arranged substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of October, 1890.

JAMES PRICE, JUNIOR. Witnesses:

CHARLES GURN Y, DANIEL COLBAGE.

ITO 

